Consumer Alerts

While you can no longer get free COVID-19 test kits from the federal government , if you have health insurance, you’re covered for eight free over-the-counter, at-home COVID-19 tests each month. So if

Back-to-school season can be stressful for many kids and their parents — especially when scammers are back to work with online school shopping scams. But there are ways to get your school shopping

Selling stuff online can be a great way to make some extra cash. Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other sites attract a lot of buyers — and scammers. Here are some ways scammers try to cheat you

Sometimes good gizmos go bad. If the gizmo — whether a motor vehicle, home appliance, or other consumer product — is under warranty, you may want to bring it to the dealer for repair. Or, you may

Widespread drought, rising prices, and feed shortages in the Great Plains and West have created a fertile field for cattle feed scammers to take advantage of ranchers working to protect their

Scammers exploiting the high demand for baby formula have sunk to new lows. They’re popping up online and tricking desperate parents and caregivers into paying steep prices for formula that never

You’ve probably heard: this holiday season, it might be harder to find the gifts you’re looking for. So, many of us might be looking for alternatives, like buying gifts locally — or maybe from online

Shopping online is oh-so-convenient. Haven’t we all bought stuff online when we could easily run to the store (figuratively, of course) and be back home in less than 30 minutes? Because reputable

Each year, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the numerous contributions that Hispanic Americans and Latinos have made to our country. This year’s theme, Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage

Summer is right around the corner. With things reopening, kids getting out of school, and days lasting longer, this summer promises, we hope, some much-needed relaxation, adventure, and a chance to

On this 12 th and final day of consumer protection — just of this series, you understand, not ever — here are a few reminders as you head toward whatever holiday you celebrate (or don’t) this December

You’ve probably spent a good part of 2020 doing some online shopping. Now that the holidays are here, you definitely want to be sure you — or your friends and family — actually get what you ordered

This year, during the pandemic, your holidays might be moving a bit online. On the 10 th day of Consumer Protection, maybe you’re planning to send e-cards to family and friends. Or maybe your kids are

You’ve finished your online shopping, your gifts have shipped and you’re waiting for them to arrive – but some Grinch decides to ruin your holiday. On this 9th day of Consumer Protection, we’re

On the 5 th day of Consumer Protection, you get an email or text message that’s supposedly from UPS or FedEx, complete with one of their logos — and it seems legit. It says your item is ready to ship

It’s the 4th day of Consumer Protection and ’tis the season of…gift cards. Even in Santa’s workshop, it’s one of the most popular ways to give to family and friends for the holidays. But gift cards

On this 2 nd day of Consumer Protection, it’s all about online shopping. Because that’s what we can do this year, right? (OK, it’s a lot of what we do any year.) If you’re spending some of your hard

Welcome to the FTC’s 12 Days of Consumer Protection, a holiday series to help you save money and avoid scams. Each day, we’ll cover a new topic — from shopping online and bogus shipping notifications

“It’s been almost a month and we still don’t have our money. We’re broke and putting groceries on credit cards . . . .” That’s just one of many customer reviews posted about the mobile banking app

On Veterans Day, we celebrate our veterans — more than 18 million strong. We thank you for your service and sacrifice. It’s also a good time to arm yourself with some tips to avoid fraud. We know that